As happens frequently on Portland Hikers, a trip report is posted generating comments and observations leading others to do the hike or some variation or find some place nearby to go. So it was with this visit to the abandoned #777 Devils Canyon Trail. First JeffW posted this trip report on a loop to East Zigzag Mtn and Burnt Lake, I observed and commented on the Devils Canyon Trail that appears on JeffW's map but is missing from my newer version of the Government Camp Quad as seen here. Splintercat pointed out that yes this is a lost trail and on the list for TKO trail proposals. I checked my U of O map collection and found the #777 trail designation and its final appearance on the 1966 MHNF forest map. That's all I needed. The route would be Burnt Lake trail from the western trailhead, to East Zigzag Mtn for some views, then down the hill beyond the intersection with Burnt Lake trail, then west into the brush and a search for remnants of the #777.
Access to the western Burnt Lake Trailhead is via the very rough and rocky FR27/Enola Hill Rd. Coming from Portland, drive past Rhododendron and after about a mile and a half look to the left for the FR27 road sign. Go left on from 26 to FR27 and enjoy the brief bit of pavement before hitting the long rocky switchbacks that take you up the hill. There were passenger cars at the trailhead so it is done, just have to drive slowly and carefully - my ride was a motorcycle suited for this kind of travel.
There's a nice rock outcropping a ways up Enola Hill Rd. that provides a nice view of Devil Canyon Falls. Apologies for the poor photo quality - best I could get.
I parked at the trailhead got my wilderness permit properly attached to my pack and headed up the hill. The hike up the Burnt Lake trail was uneventful, met a group of backpackers coming down and I was pleasantly surprised to find lots of trail-side huckleberries. While I could have bypassed it, I took the route up East Zigzag Mtn. for some big views and I was not disappointed.
I have to admit, after seeing the sparse green meadows on Hood from the bare ridge on East Zigzag I just about scuttled my lost trail plans to go for the green and the big views on Hood.
Lots of wild flowers on East Zigzag, some bright red berries, I should know what they are, they don't look edible.
I arrived at the Burnt Lake intersection and while taking snapshots of the signage, a real USFS Ranger came up the trail from Burnt Lake, my first one. Good thing I was properly tagged as he was checking for permits. Very nice visit we chatted about various trail things and went our separate ways.
A little ways south on the Zigzag trail I turned west to begin the hunt for the #777. The going was easy through the top section with sparse trees, huckleberries, beargrass, and pretty little meadows. I landed on a fairly large opening where there was a post on the ground that looked like it might have been a trail marker but nothing definite like an obvious path or maintenance. From the age of the young trees it's pretty clear this upper part was burned clean 40-60 years ago and was slowly coming back. I followed as nearly as I could the trail markings on the map which took me southwest to the edge of the ridge going west. Here I started to see signs of trail maintenance. Looks like after the burn there were lots of standing snags and I'm guessing as a preemptive strike against the snags falling on the trail, they were cut down if near the trail. Not a logging operation, the snags were left where they fell and in one case a cut snag fell on the trail for which a path was cut through the log . The snag likely fell in the wrong direction and landed on the trail rather than down the hill. Here's the spot with a chunk cut out of the snag that fell on the trail.
So there was a trail through here. At one point for about a quarter of a mile I kept running into a dry creek bed and since it was so close to my track for the #777 I wonder if the creek bed was actually the trail as can happen sometimes where a trail creates a channel for standing water. Eventually the creek went over the edge of the ridge.
As TKO has this as a possible trail to include in the 20 year plan, I thought I'd do quick evaluations of viewpoints along the ridgeline. When this trail was actively used some years ago I imagine Mount Hood was in view for most of it's length but the second growth trees effectively block that item at every opportunity. Like here:
A little better here:
Ran into a stand of lodgepole pine. Did not look healthy.
On the exposed slopes to the south vine maple is turning to fall colors.
The further down the ridge line I went the worse the brush got, going from gentle huckleberries to dense thickets of rhododendron interspersed with vine maple. Pretty tough going in sections. Still, there were enough rock outcroppings for some nice views east to Multipor Mountain. I could see traffic on highway 26 as it snaked its way up the valley towards Government Camp.
As I made my way towards the end of the ridge I passed through a unit showing signs of selective thinning of trees, so I figured any remnant of trail through there would be obliterated by the logging operation so I pretty much gave up on finding anything left of the #777. It was around 4:00PM when I made the turn north to meet with Devils Creek. I turned the corner, still following the trail as on the map when I ran into - ta-dum - 'the trail' - ta-dum. I followed it to the creek as it was clearly a piece of the #777 matching perfectly with the map. I then backtracked this obviously well maintained, flagged, and blazed section of trail to as far as I could given the time. There was no blowdown, easy to follow up to a certain point where the trail just stopped. What? I looked around and saw a corridor that looked inviting so I proceeded. Eventually it turned to a decommissioned logging road with a clear trail - the only problem was instead of going up the hill, it started to go down. This was no faint path but fairly used. I came to the point of the ridge where I ran into a nice thicket of red barked manzanita heading up the ridge line, very pretty.
The views from the manzanita patch towards Hunchback Mountain are pretty decent. I kept going down the road and came to a neat rock outcropping - likely good views from up top if you can stand the exposure.
At the same spot I turned south and spied an interesting rock bluff on Tom Dick and Harry Mtn. and wondered if it was from the same formation as the outcropping above me.
Way off in the distance, the wart-like projection of High Rock showed itself on the horizon.
I could go no further as the day was ending so I reluctantly backtracked the trail to Devils Creek. Like I hadn't seen enough for one day I came across some old timers by the trail, a little grove of old growth red cedar and Doug fir - worthy of human-tree comparisons. Red cedar:
Big fire scarred Doug fir.
Enough for me, I'll likely return to learn more about the unknown trail to follow it all the way down. As this is clearly maintained by locals I have doubts about posting a reference to it. It looks like it gives early and Enola-Hill-free access to the higher trails straight from 26 and would be a great trail to use for this purpose.
A reinvigorated #777 trail would be quite a project - enough rock outcroppings and talus slopes for views to the south. The slope is not bad so going straight up the ridge line is a possibility.
About 12 miles, 2600' feet.
